When Rich Bishop recently took over as head coach of Augusta High School’s volleyball team, he wanted to build on what Heidi Dreiling did when she was coach.

Bishop wants to create a program, not just coach a team.

“The important thing to remember is that Heidi got the volleyball program headed in the right direction,” Bishop said. “She instilled that we can compete by increasing our intensity and tenacity. One of the things I am trying to get started is to have a ‘program’ not just a season.”

For Bishop that means starting a club volleyball team here in Augusta. And club coaching the middle school players. He even plans to start an intramural program in the fall.

“The main objective is exciting all players as to what possiblities are out there for them,” he said.

Bishop plans to have the Cowley County Community College team, the 2011 NJCAA champions and perennial powerhouse, come to help with the Augusta summer camp. He’s also got the players working out with weights and agilities during the summer with the football coaches and new girls basketball coach Tracy Anderson. There’s even a volleyball tournament scheduled for June 26 at Circle High School.

Bishop got started in volleyball after his oldest daughter Erin was selected to play on a high-level club team in the early ‘90s.

“I used to take her to practice every day in Wichita. Well rather than just sit there, I began participating and learning the game,” Bishop said.

Soon after that, he started his own club team in Andover. For the past two years, he’s been coaching Club 81, a team mainly for Augusta players and some area athletes. It wasn’t long after that before Dreiling and the high school wanted Bishop to join the Orioles’ staff as the freshman team’s coach.

“I personally am so excited about the program and possibilities that there are many nights I can't sleep because my brain is working overtime to come up with new ideas. One of my objectives is to see more than just parents and students coming to see us play. I want the Oriole Program to be the talk of the town,” Bishop said.